Dear Abby - Famous TV Dogs: Dog the Basset Hound from Columbo

Dear Friends,

Today I'm looking forward to talking about one of my favorite TV dogs, Dog from Columbo.  Not a very original name, but he was a very cute Basset Hound!   Columbo was a mystery series that ran from 1971 - 2003.  Dog helped Detective Columbo solve crimes.  My Momma loves this show, so I have watched with her, and she has a previous post about the retro TV aspects of this series here:  Did You Know Tuesday:  Fun Facts About Columbo.

Dog first appeared in the series in the episode Etude in Black (1972).   Peter Falk, who played Columbo, was originally not a fan of adding a dog to the series.  He thought Columbo already had a rumpled trench coat, a cigar, and a wife who was referred to but never seen.  He did not think he needed a dog too.

As a great fan of rescue, I will add that the character Dog was written as a rescue dog.  Columbo has a running conversation in Etude in Black about what to name Dog.  He considers the names Fido and Beethovan. 

The Basset Hound who played Dog was named Henry.  He also was a rescue dog from a Los Angeles pound, and if he looks familiar, it is because he played Henry the dog in Emergency!

Over the course of the series we learn that Dog enjoys ice cream, swimming, and television. Henry, the original Basset Hound, passed away during the course of the series and was recast with another very mellow dog. 

There is a statue of Dog and Columbo in Budapest.  Peter Falk was related to 19th century Hungarian political figure Miksa Falk, and the statue is at a street named Falk.

Here is a short video of Dog:



Do you remember the TV show Columbo?  Are you a Basset Hound fan?  I'd love to hear from you in the comments, below.

Love,

Abby xoxoxo

Big Lots of Vintage Playing Cards - Single Swap Cards

I had so much fun putting these lots of vintage single swap playing cards together!  They are great for a collector, a dog lover, or anyone who loves vintage graphics and illustrations.   At Birdhouse Books I currently have a number of vintage playing card lots (click here to see!).

They include:

• Scenthounds - Dachshunds, Beagles, and Basset Hounds
• Terrier Dogs
• Sporting Dogs - Retrievers, Pointers, and Setters
• Transportation - Trains, Ships, Cars, and Travel
• Animals - Bears, Ducks, Horses, Deer, and more
• and a huge lot with a bit of everything!  (87 cards) - Coca Cola, advertisements, art, retro pop culture

Hope you'll pop by and visit - vintage playing cards at Birdhouse Books.